This application is based on and incorporates herein by reference Japanese Patent Application No. 2001-239639 filed on Aug. 7, 2001.
The present invention relates to a traffic information notification system that notifies information about traffic flow disruption or impediment to system users such as travelers.
Vehicle information and communication systems (VICS) provide various information such as road restrictions, traffic congestion and the like. Public or private transportation companies also provide various information about transportation services, delay of transportation services and the like, respectively. Travelers, who plan to move from one location (departure point) to another (destination point) by using public transportation, are thus capable of acquiring the traffic information about the planned route of travel and, as the case may be, changing the travel route or the transportation. The traveler must however usually acquire those information in advance of starting the planned travel to avoid possible traffic flow disruption.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a traffic information notifying system that notifies to system users of traffic flow disruption or impediment occurring on the route of travel from the departure point and the destination point.
According to the present invention, a traffic information notifying system is constructed with a terminal device owned by a user, an information center for providing traffic information and a management center operatively connected to the terminal device and the information center for communication therewith. The management center registers therein a travel plan input from the terminal device. The travel plan includes route information about a travel route to a destination point and time information about time of passing and arrival on the travel route. The management center monitors a traffic flow disruption which is influential on the travel plan based on the registered travel plan and the traffic information, and notifies the traffic flow disruption to the user through the terminal device.
Preferably, the management center further calculates at least one of alternative departure time and alternative travel route recommended to avoid the traffic flow disruption based on the traffic information when the traffic flow disruption occurs, and notifies at least one of the alternative departure time and the alternative travel route in addition to the traffic flow disruption.